Between Maidens
by Chicken Yuki
Summary: As a relative of the affluent Lacreme family, Elli is invited to stay at Romana's Villa in ForgetMeNot Valley for a special dinner recital. Before the event, Elli spends some time with her cousin Lumina.
1. Lady In Training

**Disclaimer: **_Do you really think I'd own Natsume or any other companies affiliated with Harvest Moon at this point? Of course not. Don't be rediculous. This is just a mere formality I forget to point out every few fanfics or so. Seriously... if I did, Magical Melody would have way more Heart Events, Farmer and Rival alike. That, and Ann would be with Louis instead, because they make way more sense. And maybe the script would be more amusing? I dunno... if people really like my writing style, maybe I could make that possible._

Somewhere, in a faraway country villa, a certain burnet nurse in a frilly blue dress was seated at a long, lavish dining table. Before her was some fine china along with a set of silverware including numerous forks laid atop a beautifully-designed napkin. The disoriented young girl blinked constantly as she each little fork carefully, deciding which one would best suit her situation.

Standing ride at the sidelines of this unusual event was an old man with a goofy white wig and a fancy green vest. Assuming by his proper, disciplined stance, one could easily guess that he is the butler of this establishment.

"Please proceed with choosing the proper first fork of the meal, Miss Elli. While it is appreciated that you are giving this carefully thought, might I suggest you try not to use "the Force" in the process? It could cause a catastrophe were you to accidentally choke a fellow guess with your incredible concentration." he quipped.

"Sebastian!" The young lady groaned. "Was that really necessary? I'm just trying to prepare myself with the proper etiquette for tonight's dinner."

The green-vested butler grinned. "I apologize, Miss Elli. By all accounts, your candid expressions really were quite adorable. It simply deserved to be met with a proper jest." he explained. "However, such basics in eating etiquette shouldn't be too hard. I would've gladly explained the process to you personally, but it seems Madame Romana has high expectations of your "natural" grace." he finished with a strong hint of regret.

Elli sighed. "Well, I suppose I am polite and well-mannered enough. At the very least, Karen blatantly pointed out how "prissy" I am, but I'm really starting to doubt that I qualify for "high-society". I'm starting to wonder why my cousin even invited me to her dinner recital in the first place." she thought.

Once more, she put her concentration on the forks before she had the chance to become distracted once more.

"Okay... what is it that Grandmother always told me about situations like this? I know I received instruction from her a few times about table ettiquete, just in case... but it's all a blur to me! Great. It must've been during those times when I used to play "tea time" when I was little girl, huh? I really wish I can recall it clearly..." she thought as she waved her hand indecisively over the forks.

"Well..." Sebastian announced, "Have you decided upon your first fork?" he asked.

After a few more seconds of careful observation, one fork gleamed brighter than the rest. She then nodded to Sebastian with a nod and proud grin before snatching it out of its decorated resting place.

"It's this one, isn't it?" Elli beamed as she trusted a big fork towards Sebastian's direction. "I suppose it's the "multi-purpose fork", since I always used forks like these for any part of the meal! Cake, Salad, Steak...Yes, this must be the last resort for those who don't understand the fork system otherwise! Am I right?"

An embarrassed Sebastian lowered his head in shook. "I'm afraid that's... a steak fork, Miss Elli. It goes along with the steak knife for a main entree." he explained.

Elli glared at her fork in shock. "Really? Oh dear... I can't believe I just embarrassed myself like that..." she sighed.

"It's alright, Miss Elli. The order of forks is really quite simple, really." He assured the young lady.

"B-But, I'm supposed to be able to figure this out all by myself, right? Auntie Romana insisted on this." she stated.

"No, no. I must insist. Besides, I'm starting to think Madame Romana is assuming a bit too much. She even wanted you to pick up on the more advanced skills of etiquette on your own. Formal wear, Dancing, posturing; she believed all of this would come naturally for one related to the distinguished Lacrème Bloodline. I was merely sent here to be your evaluator."

"What? Are you serious?" Elli nearly exclaimed. She then took one slow breath to calm herself. "I can't believe it. I-I can't waltz or tango or anything sophisticated like that! Auntie Romana's expectations are going way too far here!"

"Indeed. Your cousin felt the same way; however, unlike you, she nearly threw a fit and was about to march right towards Madame with a complaint. She must really like you if she was actually willing to complain to her for that purpose." Sebastian noted.

"Really?" Elli chirped. A pleasantly surprised grin suddenly manifested itself on her face. "I always thought she called me her "Favorite" cousin because I happened to be her only one. Maybe she really meant it." she said to herself.

Suddenly, a door slowly creaked open. Both Elli and Sebastian quickly turned their attention towards that direction.

Standing right by the doorway was a young lady with bright amber eyes and long brown hair topped with a yellow hair band. She also wore a pair of light jeans and a casual white short-sleeved shirt with an orange cloth tied around her neck. Most notable of all was the cheerful smile she had upon seeing the young nurse at the dining table.

"Elli!" The young lady squealed with delight.

"Lumina!" the nurse cried back ecstatically.


	2. Love, Sandwiches, and Naievete

**Harvest Moon**

**Between Maidens**

Without hesitation, the young lady of the villa quickly rushed the nurse and embraced her with glee.

"Elli, what are you doing here so early? Grandma invited you for the dinner recital, right? So I assumed you would be arriving later in the afternoon." Lumina said as she slowly released her hold.

Elli blinked in confusion. "Really? But Auntie Romana said to get here first thing in the morning and receive some "preparation" for the evening in her letter. I suppose she was concern with my relative lack of proper upbringing by my immediate family, but---"

"What?" Lumina exclaimed. "Oh, no… please don't tell me she's speaking nonsense about you and Great Aunt Ellen again", she sighed, "The both of you may be distant family to me, but that old woman's such a sweetheart. You're really lucky to be raised by such understanding grandparent. Mine is always strict with me, forcing me to practice piano from sunrise to sunset. I really used to love pounding those black and white keys, too, but Grandma's making it such a nightmare!"

"You mean… she's that insistent upon everyone associated with her?" Elli asked nervously.

The young girl with the yellow hair band nodded immediately. "Sebastian and I, at least. Though I really shouldn't be surprised that she's starting to work on you now." She groaned.

"Well…" Elli started with a nervous laugh. "At least I can tell she acknowledges me as family if she's willing to have all this effort spent on me." She commented with a hint of girlish optimism.

Lumina blinked. She was about to refute Elli's minor point and complain like there was no tomorrow at her distant cousin, but instead, she withheld her further gripes. Instead, she looked at Elli with a grateful smile.

"You know, Elli… you were always good at being the optimist." She replied in relief.

"I'm glad I can help." Elli replied with an innocent smile that made her gleam brighter than the sun.

But then, this touching scene suddenly comes to a screeching halt when the two young ladies' stomachs growled simultaneously.

Sebastian, the ever-vigilant butler had stood by silently to observe the moment.

"Er… since there seems to be some difficulty with silverware etiquette, may I bring you fine ladies some sandwiches for the time being?" the butler chimed in.

"Yes, that would be nice, Sebastian. I'll have a Ham and Cheese on White, for now. Elli, what will you have?"

Elli paused for a minute. "Wait… are we actually having lunch now? B-but… I thought he meant those little mini cucumber sandwiches that are served as snacks during a tea party." She confessed as she still tried to understand the workings of higher society.

"Oh, sure. He can make those, too." Lumina replied casually, "Actually, we have all sorts of vegetables, fruits, and breads for sandwiches thanks to the successful agriculture around here. We also have plenty of meats and condiments for that purpose. Even Peanut Butter and Jelly of many assorted flavors."

"Did you say fruits?" Elli replied curiously. "That sounds like a wonderful idea!" she cheered.

The happy nurse then turned towards the patient butler. "Sebastian, please make mine a fruit salad sandwich. Go ahead and surprise me, just as long as it's good and sweet!"

Sebastian grinned. "Ah, yes. "Good and Sweet", a fitting choice for Miss Elli." He retorted. "Very well, so it's one Ham and Cheese for Lady Lumina, and a "Good and Sweet" Fruit Salad Sandwich for Miss Elli. I'll be sure to have them ready just in time to satisfy our hungry ladies." He assured before walking patiently towards the kitchen.

This little period finally left the two ladies alone.

"So Elli. I heard that a new farmer moved to Mineral Town not too long ago, as well. Go ahead and spill. What's he like?" Lumina said with great interest.

"Oh, right, right. You must mean Sack. Well, he's a bright and energetic fellow. I think he's well-suited for a Farmer, to be honest." Elli explained.

"I suppose…that's nice to know…" Lumina said hesitantly. "But what I meant was, well… you know."

"No, really. What?" Elli asked innocently.

Lumina paused for a second in disbelief. Elli is about three or four years older than herself, practically making her a true woman in comparison, yet she still finds it hard to believe how naïve her distant cousin can be sometimes.

"Well… is he cute? Is he handsome? Is he charming?" Lumina nearly blurted out.

"Uh… well, I guess he IS cute." Elli said with some uncertainty. "His tousled blonde hair and boyish face looks really adorable. But what gets me the most is his big green puppy-dog eyes. It's all so cute!" She squealed, as if she was describing a puppy she just adopted.

Apparently, the nurse's reaction felt off-beat for the girl of fancy living. "I-Is that so?" she said shakily.

Elli nodded. "Indeed. Sack's always off running around doing good deeds and trying to make Mineral Town a better place for everyone. In my opinion, I think he's doing a great job! I'm just a little concerned about the few occasions he works himself out of consciousness" she confessed.

"That's good to know. He sounds like a really nice guy." Lumina confirmed. "So… do you think you might be… well, interested in him?" she inquired with slight teasing in her voice.

"Interested? In Sack?" Elli cried back. "Well, I don't really know. He's truly a pleasure to be around and everything, but… well, he started sticking to Karen like glue the moment he first laid eyes on her. And they've been getting along really well since." She explained.

"Oh." Lumina said with a hint of disappointment in her voice.

"But that really doesn't bother me so much. Sack and Karen go well together. Besides, I… uh… have someone else in mind." She said hesitantly.

"Really? Who?" Lumina demanded enthusiastically.

Unfortunately for her, Elli hesitated long and hard to answer, but that left Lumina time to speculate.

"_Well, I'm not really sure if it's that Doctor Tim Holiday fellow she always writes about. She keeps saying how "insightful" and "responsible" he always is, but that sounds a little too dull for a boyfriend. I'm starting to think the Doctor's around his Fifties or something. Certainly not someone all that appealing to Elli_…" she thought.

"Uh, let's forget about me for a second and talk about you now. How's everything going with this Farmer Gavin you keep talking about? Is he treating you fine?" Elli asked.

Lumina blushed upon hearing the name of the new handsome Farmer that suddenly took up residence in Forget-Me-Not Valley. She opened up with a brief period of stammering before making out any comprehendible speech.

"Ah… er… uh… it's… okay…" Lumina started. "He treats me very nice. Like a big brother."

"Big brother? Awww… he sounds so sweet!" Elli cried.

"B-but… I really wish he treated me like… I was more than her little sister… that maybe… he could see me as a woman." She reluctantly admitted.

"Lumina…" Elli uttered in soft sympathy. "But you know, you're still very young… and this Gavin, from what I can tell, is already at marriage age."

"Yes. I know…. I understand that fact very well, but…" a single tear trickled slowly down Lumina's left cheek.

"But…. These feelings won't go away. Elli, I've never felt this way about anyone before. Even as I see the barmaid Muffy waiting on him at the bar every evening, even when I see that mysterious red-head Nami open up to him like she's never done so with anyone else… and…"

Two more teardrops, one from each eye, slid down her face.

"…Even when I see him at his happiest whenever he spends time with his fellow farmer Celia… I… I can't help but feel this way about him." She said, trying to contain her sorrow in the face of her cherished cousin.

"Lumina…" Elli softly said once more.

Although her circumstances were different, the young nurse herself was facing her own crisis of heart. Despite Lumina's belief, Elli was actually head over heels in love with Doctor Tim Holiday, who just happened to be quite young and handsome, in her opinion. For the longest time, Elli tried to think of the best possible way to at least hint her feelings towards the diligent Doctor; however, the poor nurse was just too shy and naïve when it came to matters of the heart. And to make matters worse, Doctor Holiday never really treated her as anything beyond a talented nurse and her trusted assistant. While she was at least certain they shared a bond of friendship, she was thoroughly filled with doubt and fear that he may not be able to return her feelings of love. With these thoughts swirling in her mind, poor Elli's eyes started to quiver and moisten.

It seemed very likely at this point that both girls will break down and start crying all over the place, but…

"The Sandwiches are ready!" Sebastian cried, reminding them both of their growling tummies.

Elli and Lumina perked up immediately, readying themselves for a hearty lunch.

"Oh, right! The sandwiches! I almost forgot about our Lunch! Silly me!" Lumina cried as she wiped her teary eyes with a sincere smile.

Elli giggled. "Oh goodness! I actually lost track of the time for awhile!"

Sebastian then placed the plates neatly on the dining table and courteously pulled back the nearby seats for Lumina and Elli. The villa girl immediately clamped her hands upon on the mouth-watering Ham and Cheese Sandwich, while Elli's eyes wandered between her Mystery Fruit Sandwich and the nearby silverware.

"Uh… Elli? Did Sebastian give you the wrong sandwich or something? Because if there's anything wrong, he can fix for you right away and---"

"No, it's definitely a fruit sandwich like I asked, and it looks very delicious" Elli interrupted. "It's just that… I really want to try getting down silverware again."

If it weren't for her proper upbringing, Lumina would have her mouth gaping open as she stared questionably at Elli.

"…Are… you serious?" Lumina asked hesitantly.

Elli bobbed her head up and down as she nodded. "Yes. I don't want to make you look bad at the dinner because of my ignorance. I'd rather not make another embarrassing mistake like the "multi-purpose fork" proposition for your family's sake."

It was then Lumina's turn to smile with a radiant glow. "Oh, no! You don't have to worry about that stuff for now! Go ahead and eat! I'd rather have a living improper cousin than a refined one who starved to death." She insisted.

"….Okay…" Elli replied in embarrassment.

_Author's Notes: Currently Playing Yggdra Union. Well, actually, I WOULD, if my DS Lite's L button hadn't stopped working on me all of a sudden. I really wish I could go to my Gamecube at home right now and just "Gameboy Player" it, but well... that's College Dorm Life for ya. ::sighs::_

_ Wait a minute. This is supposed to actually be about my story, right? Okay, then! I'm sorry for not getting part two out sooner! Well, actually I'm sorry I couldn't submit this short story as a whole, but I've been busy, uninspired, and "Yggdra-Union" deprived as of late. It's all a big conspiracy to keep me from writing I suppose, whether phyiscally or mentally, so it's been bad times. Seriously, though, I have the Last Part of this all planned out, I just need to come up with the "Etiqutte" Montage and get myself to write it. Luckily, Winter Break is coming up, so cross your fingers, loyal readers!_

_ On the other hand, I got to see the Wii in action at my local Video Game Club. Zelda is frikin' awesome!_

_Finally, for those of you THAT impatient and have already read my stories, I have a few more you might be interested in. If you LOVE Harvest Moon, then chances are... you'll have no idea what I've been writing about. Since, well... I have original characters and a completly made up fantasy world called "Prophet Destiny". It's in my Gaia Online Journal. Just look up my penname on Gaiaonline. com for my profile and click on "view journal" when you get there. Please click on the earliest date after that, so you won't miss anything.  
_

_My main project with my journal is a Three Chapter Short Story called the "Daily Life". I've already done the first two Chapters, and I'm waiting for the perfect opportunity to do the last one. But since you Harvest-holics have been enjoying my fanfiction so far, I'll try my best to make my highest writing prority. If you have the time though, I seriously reccomend you look at my Original Stories. I just might love you for getting familar with my treasured OCs, especially a witty wizard named Gades Rubiss._

_Anyway, see you for now!  
_


	3. Montage and Merriment

After satisfying their bellies with sandwiches, Lumina and Elli wiped their mouths and rose from their seats.

"Well, that was a good lunch." Lumina cried happily.

Elli nodded. "It was a pleasant surprise, too. I wasn't sure what to expect for a fruit sandwich, but Sebastian is a genius! Such a luscious of fruits" she cheered.

"That's to be expected of Sebastian. He tends to make the best of is asked of him." Lumina explained.

Elli then faced the butler with her cheerful smile. "Thanks again, Sebastian! IT was delicious!"

The humble Sebastian merely grinned and bowed his head. "It was a pleasure to serve you young ladies." He answered back.

At that moment, Elli felt a tug on her arm. She then noticed a vigorous Lumina right at her side.

"Alright. Since Grandma is so adamant on turning you into a proper lady for the recital, we better get started right away!" Lumina insisted.

"L-Lumina.! You mean you're going to help me out?" Elli uttered.

"Of course! You're my favorite cousin! And besides, all this fancy etiquette stuff isn't easy. I'm thankful to Grandma for raising me and everything, but I can't let her run your life, too. No offense, but I REALLY don't think you'll be able to learn all of this by yourself." Lumina explain.

"Lumina… thank you, but… I'm your only cousin. A distant cousin. Neither of us really knew of this relation until my Grandma took me here all those years ago and explained everything." Elli answered in a soft, uneasy tone.

"That doesn't mean you can't be my favorite cousin!" Lumina refuted "And I don't care how distant a relation we share! We know each other, and we enjoy each other's company, right? But even if we aren't related in any way, you're a great friend! Isn't that what matters most?"

Elli nodded slowly as a small tear ran down her cheek. "Really?"

"Yes, really." Lumina said in a matter-of-fact tone. "But seriously. Let's get started. I don't want Grandma hounding you for being "lazy and negligent" or something like that."

And so, Lumina dragged an awkward Elli all the way upstairs, where she would continue her training to become a proper lady.

After satisfying their bellies with sandwiches, Lumina and Elli wiped their mouths and rose from their seats.

"Well, that was a good lunch." Lumina cried happily.

Elli nodded. "It was a pleasant surprise, too. I wasn't sure what to expect for a fruit sandwich, but Sebastian is a genius! Such a luscious of fruits" she cheered.

"That's to be expected of Sebastian. He tends to make the best of is asked of him." Lumina explained.

Elli then faced the butler with her cheerful smile. "Thanks again, Sebastian! IT was delicious!"

The humble Sebastian merely grinned and bowed his head. "It was a pleasure to serve you young ladies." He answered back.

At that moment, Elli felt a tug on her arm. She then noticed a vigorous Lumina right at her side.

"Alright. Since Grandma is so adamant on turning you into a proper lady for the recital, we better get started right away!" Lumina insisted.

"L-Lumina.! You mean you're going to help me out?" Elli uttered.

"Of course! You're my favorite cousin! And besides, all this fancy etiquette stuff isn't easy. I'm thankful to Grandma for raising me and everything, but I can't let her run your life, too. No offense, but I REALLY don't think you'll be able to learn all of this by yourself." Lumina explain.

"Lumina… thank you, but… I'm your only cousin. A distant cousin. Neither of us really knew of this relation until my Grandma took me here all those years ago and explained everything." Elli answered in a soft, uneasy tone.

"That doesn't mean you can't be my favorite cousin!" Lumina refuted "And I don't care how distant a relation we share! We know each other, and we enjoy each other's company, right? But even if we aren't related in any way, you're a great friend! Isn't that what matters most?"

Elli nodded slowly as a small tear ran down her cheek. "Really?"

"Yes, really." Lumina said in a matter-of-fact tone. "But seriously. Let's get started. I don't want Grandma hounding you for being "lazy and negligent" or something like that."

And so, Lumina dragged an awkward Elli all the way upstairs, where she would continue her training to become a proper lady.

The first step in the long list of stereotypes involved proper posture which involved the "book" test.

As with most cases, this first workshop proved the easiest, especially for Elli. Apparently, she was blessed with enough natural posture to balance both a lightweight and heavy book on her head while walking with little difficulty, only to remark how Stu would love to hear the adorable tale of "The Best Chicken In The World" and how the Bookworm Mary would enjoy the_ Encyclopedia of Arthropods _texts she had just used a moment before.

Next, she was trained in the art of proper speech, which, once again, she aced rather easily. Apparently, the innocent country maiden was already an expert of grammar and such, and the need to speak like one of high society was a rare occasion for her. Even more shocking was the revelation that she is also quite fluent of such various other dialects like "gangsta" talk and the seemingly incoherent online text pattern known as "l337".

After breezing through two training regiments, she once again went back to learning fork usage in dining. Thanks to an extensive lecture by Sebastian, and a brief clarity explanation by Lumina, she was finally using forks like a master aristocrat. Elli beamed with this accomplishment, stating, "Wow! This actually is pretty easy!"

Elli was then sent off towards the Living Room by the entry door, where she was instructed in the waltz with Sebastian as her partner. Lumina tried her best to play a proper Waltz song as poor Elli stumbled through the steps, occasionally stomping on the butler's feet while trying to comprehend the dance. Despite his suffering, the stalwart butler remained unflinching throughout the entire struggle, remarking at Elli's uncanny grace in her initial clumsiness. Eventually, her hour or so of work finally paid off, as the young nurse was dancing like a regular princess with her usual blue dress flowing about. It was then that Lumina decided to have a little fun herself and play a little freestyle piano jazz, setting the mood for even more hi-jinks on the dance floor as Sebastian got to show off his apparent knowledge of "1920's" dance styles, (even if that era was a few years away from his "time') while Elli applauded and joined in for a grand time.

With a few more unnamed practices out of the way, Lumina decided it was the perfect moment for the infamous pastime of "typical" girls, as she dragged her cousin upstairs into her room while Sebastian stayed behind to clean up.

"Wait! What is it we're doing now?" Elli cried as she was placed right by a closet door.

"Well… you've certainly got the skills to pull it of." Lumina grimed, "However, it won't work too well unless you "look" the part."

"What are you talking about?" Elli wondered.

Lumina momentarily felt the soft fabric of Elli's dress, putting explicit attention to it. "Elli… as nice as your usual clothes are, I'm afraid they won't appeal so much to our high-society "associates". So we'll just have to fix that by giving you some fancy attire, and luckily, I have a fairly extensive selection." She explained.

With that said, Elli's face reddened ever so slightly.

"Ah, wha?"

"Don't worry. I don't mind at all. Besides, they should fit you really well, since a handful of them aren't exactly tailored to my specifications." She assured her.

"Ummm…. Oh… alright…" Elli answered reluctantly.

And so, Elli tried on array of fancy dresses. A few of them ranged from the downright gaudy to the fancifully haughty. Eventually, she arrived at a few select choices.

The first noteworthy outfit was a loose, sleeveless golden gown which made her gleam from head to foot.

"Wow… you definitely look rich in this outfit." Lumina commented with a subtle hint of envy.

"Eh… I'm not sure if this is best." Elli said as she folded her arms and covered her chest area. I feel like I might trip with this fabric constantly trailing behind me, and…if you haven't noticed, I feel part of me is being… exposed, somehow." She said with a nervous laugh.

Lumina closed her eyes and shook a bit before nodding in agreement. "You still look very fine in this dress, but I suppose you have a point. Go on…"

The next outfit overpowered Elli's usual taste in frills. It was a long white dress with loose, puffy sleeves and ornate lace. It was even topped with a white rimmed hat with a red rose.

Upon seeing herself in a mirror, Elli laughed to herself nervously once again. "I think… I could use a poodle to go along with this dress." she quipped in a nervous voice.

"No. I wouldn't. I know very well poodles are quite vicious dogs by reputation." Lumina explained.

Elli twirled around and took one last careful look in her current attire, then turned towards her cousin.

"So, do you honestly think this could work?" she asked with concern.

"It's nice, but I don't think it's exactly "ballroom" material. Get yourself a white umbrella, though, and it'll be perfect." Lumina answered.

Elli nodded. "Okay, then I guess this won't do."

A few outfits later, Elli ended up in a long, black Chinese gown. Compared to others, it had a more effective "sensual" charm on her.

"In all honesty, I doubt this is fitting, either. I don't even like wearing black that much to begin with, especially with "gothic" style becoming popular. I remember the old days when a younger Popuri tried to convince me into joining her in trying out gothic Lolita, but I had to refuse…" she said with a quivering voice.

"I actually think this is your best look yet." Lumina said with a more obvious tone of envy and self disappointment.

"Wh-wha?"

"If you had a villainess look, this would be it. Now all you need is the attitude and threatening device to go with it. How about you go out and borrow Gavin's sickle for a little bit? Yeah, I like this imagery." Lumina continued in curious tone.

"L-Lumina! I thought I was here to find the best dress for a special occasion, not to try out "costumes" for your personal amusement!" she fumed.

The affluent cousin stared blankly at Elli for a few moments. The nurse found herself utterly shocked at her sudden display of anger; however, Lumina appeared most appeased.

"That was great!" Lumina cried. "Now, if only you could work on a wicked grin…"

Elli sighed. She understood very well that she'd be stuck in her "villainous dress" for quite a while.

Finally, after trying on nearly the entire collection, Elli tried on a sky blue gown with a matching colored bow tied at the chest, and lace near the bottom. At the splitting center, it opened up to reveal a frilly, navy blue under layer.

Both Lumina and Elli gasped as they got a good look at it for the first time. In their minds, the same message registered with certainty:

_This is it._

Elli then turned around to face her cousin in her newly-acquired gown.

"I… I don't know exactly why, but something tells me this the one." Elli confessed.

Lumina nodded slowly. "I'm not going to disagree. You… you look… gorgeous." She said in amazement.

"Do I?" Elli said in a wispy voice.

She then looked at the mirror in her new dress again. The nurse appeared mesmerized by her new appearance as she moved around to study it a bit more. Suddenly, she was brought back to a fully conscious state when she recalled whose property she was wearing.

"Lumina." Elli called out softly.

"Yes?" Lumina asked.

"This… might be a ridiculous question, but… what are you doing with all these dresses, if they're not your size?" she asked.

"Oh, right…" Lumina said quietly as she turned her head slightly.

Elli looked surprised and concerned at Lumina's sudden reaction.

"S-sorry! I didn't mean to say something foolish---"

"No… you didn't… it's okay. It's natural that you're curious…" Lumina answered.

"I could start of by saying, that they aren't exactly my size… yet…"

"I'm sorry. I don't understand…" Elli said in quiet confusion.

Lumina then looked directly at her beautifully-adorned cousin. "Despite how small it may seem, we actually have a fairly significant age difference in our time of growth. So, I'm not too surprised to see that these designs fit you perfectly." Lumina stated.

Elli blinked again. "Wh…what?"

Lumina lowered her head. "Those dresses… they were made using my mother's measurements… for when I finally reach adulthood." she explained.

Elli let out a soft, yet tense breath.

"…Your mother's…"

Lumina nodded in confirmation. "She… had a strong feeling I would grow up to match her form when I grow up, even if I was just a mere toddler at the time… so she seeked out the best designs she could find… and made these."

"Lumina… your mother was a designer?" Elli asked.

"Actually, she was more of a seamstress."

The lady of the villa lowered her head even more, yet a fond smile formed on her face.

"It was an interesting story, actually. Many speculated that Mother was also born of a wealthy family herself, or that she simply lucked her way into wealth due to her "natural charm and beauty." But… Grandmother told me it was mostly fortune and dedication that got her success. It turned out she started out in a small town like this one, and managed to work her way up with her occupation. Grandmother told me how much she loved sewing, and how she had this splendid imagination when it came to original works. She even met Father one day in a dress she worked so hard on… and… she said the rest was history…" Lumina said.

A few crystal-like tears then formed from her eyes.

"I can't explain why I know this, but… I felt in the last few days she had left… she was working like mad on these dresses… so that she could make the one dress that could help me find my special someone…" she concluded.

At that time, she could no longer contain herself and wept in her lap.

Immediately, Elli went to comfort her, still in her light-blue dress.

"Lumina…" Elli uttered in a sympathetic tone. She then embraced the distraught young lady, with hopes that she can find peace.

A few moments later, Elli once again found herself ill at ease as Lumina started to calm down.

"I… I'm thankful you're allowing me to borrow this. But... are you sure this is alright?" Elli asked.

"Elli… please…. Don't deprive yourself for my sake. I want you to enjoy yourself as well. Besides, I'm sure that's what Great Aunt Ellen and your own parents want." Lumina answered.

At that point, Elli stared off into space. The time of her own parent's death felt far too distant to her, and yet, it still wore heavily on her heart, as that tragedy was the likely influence for her chosen profession.

Considering her past sorrow, and her usual environment, a little country girl wasn't sure if she would ever find much joy in her life, let alone have the opportunity to become the belle of a glamorous ball in some elaborate fantasy. But at this moment in time, that little country girl became an optimistic nurse, who was facing down the experience of a lifetime.

"Lumina… I'm grateful… for everything you've done for me. I just don't want to take anything special away from you…" Elli admitted.

"You really mustn't worry, then." Lumina replied with a soft smile. "You've given me more than enough to compensate."

For a long time, the two cousins remained close together, bound by a shared embrace.


	4. Practice Makes Complications

After much time passed with dwelling over the death of Lumina's parents, the cousins managed to find a moment of peace in each other's comfort. However, this period of ease was brief as it came closer to the special diner recital, and the aspiring pianist had to use some time to prepare.

"Elli… I'd like it if you could join me downstairs again…"

"Lumina? What for?"

"I… I want to have an extra ear with me for practice…"

"…Okay…"

With Elli's agreement, the two young maidens met downstairs at the piano: a considerable source of Lumina's mixed feelings. As the young lady firmly laid her bottom upon the cushiony rest, her fingers stretched with anticipation as her eyes gazed wearily, yet intently at the written notes in front of her. She then took a moment to briefly rest her eyes while she softly inhaled a portion of air, which she slowly released with a hint of a seemingly depressed sigh subtly mixed within a typical exhale.

Before the young musician could finally pound on her keys of ebony and ivory, the enthusiastic listener scanned the piece herself and blinked curiously.

"That song? But… isn't that the exact same one Auntie Romania has you practicing day in and day out?" Elli asked curiously.

Lumina nodded coolly. "Yes it is. It's one of Grandma's personal favorites, so she insists I master this piece. I have a feeling she's using this diner recital as an excuse to test my progress on it as well." She then let out a groan before she continued speaking.

"She's always nagging me on getting the "feel" of this song down. I personally think I perform it decently on a technical scale, but overall… I don't think I'm doing all that great on it." She confessed.

"Oh, I don't think you'll sound terrible. From what Auntie Romana tells me, you've been doing a good job in practice, so I'm really looking forward to hearing you play!" Elli said with earnest encouragement.

Lumina couldn't help but smile at her cousin's optimistic contribution. "Alright, then. I'll just have to put forth my best effort into it." She replied before curling up her fingers in playing form.

Immediately, her fingers stroke key after key as she kept her visual focus on the notes. For awhile, the young pianist nailed each note precisely and timely. Elli simply sat back and enjoyed Lumina's expert rendition in satisfaction.

"I don't get it." The young nurse thought to herself, "How could anyone critique this wonderful playing so harshly? Auntie Romania must be too harsh on the poor girl…"

Throughout the song, the music seemed to flow just fine. Lumina retained her keen focus on the music with little difficulty, until she felt her fingers start to fumble by themselves. At this time, she unconsciously hit a few wrong notes that Elli didn't seem to notice; however, the string of errors began to increase, and Lumina became consciously aware of her fallacy. Gradually, her playing slowed down to retain a controllable pace. Although she regained the flawless accuracy she had in the beginning of her song, Lumina still felt disappointment within herself as she heard the usual gripes her Grandmother made about her playing.

_It had little flow of its own._

_It was too "staccatoed", too precise._

_It was like an automaton playing._

Lumina finally finished her song, but her head was lowered in personal shame. Elli watched back, still believing her cousin performed exceptionally, but Lumina's disappointment rang clear to her, so she couldn't bring herself to applaud.

"Lumina, are you okay? I… I can't really tell if you messed up during the playing or not. I actually thought that was quite good…"

"Thank you, Elli, but…. I'm going to deal with a very tough crowd. They have very high expectations of me, and I have a bad feeling they'll pick me apart even worse than Grandma." Lumina sighed.

"What?! But that doesn't sound fair!" Elli cried with anger and concern.

Lumina nodded. "It isn't… but that's high society for you. I'm preparing myself for tonight, much like you have been doing, in order to save face in front of my Grandmother's acquaintances. But in my case, I HAVE to strive for perfection. Do you understand? That is what they expect from someone of experience." She explained.

Those heavy words sank in quickly for the young nurse. Despite being the one unfamiliar to ladylike customs, she understood very well that the well-acquainted Lumina was in a far worse predicament. Although Elli will have to be "performing" every moment to keep up an acceptable appearance to the visiting aristocrats, she has a better chance of being forgiven for her screw-ups. This is a far cry for Lumina, whose one performance could very well make or break her.

Unfortunately, it was also Lumina's constant world of stress that always made the relatively carefree Elli distant from her cherished cousin.

Lumina momentarily glanced at the piano keys with an intense stare as she meticulously calculated each fault in her playing. She then turned to her cousin with a solemn look in her eyes.

"Elli… I must know… did you ever once felt yourself lost in the music as I played?" Lumina asked seriously.

The nurse looked puzzled by this question.

"L-lost? In the music?" Elli asked.

"Yes. What I mean to say is… does your mind wander? Do you feel this fantasy unravel as the song plays out?" Lumina clarified.

Although Elli was still somewhat confused by the point of the question, Elli shook her head slowly and dubiously. "Ah… no…." she said in a very careful voice. "I wanted to make sure I was paying careful attention to your playing, so of course it would be rude to daydream! And like I said, your playing is wonderful!" she explained.

For a brief moment, Lumina grinned with amusement as she heard Elli's rationale, but her personal burden was still too much for her to cheer up completely.

""_A true musician should be able to evoke daydreams from her audience effortlessly"_.

That is what Grandma always tells me when I practice." Lumina replied softly.

Elli gasped. "…D-did I say something wrong, then?" she thought to herself nervously.

Lumina shook her head, as if she could read Elli's thoughts by that one expression alone. "Don't worry, I completely understand. You were just trying your best to observe your playing."

Elli nodded slowly. "B-but… I still wasn't affected in the way you wanted me to be…. I…"

"It's okay." Lumina firmly assured her.

"Alright. If that's what you insist." Elli replied with a hint of concern.

Lumina let out another sigh before pounding her right hand on a few piano keys. "It's just… I always feel so high-strung whenever I'm at the piano. I mean, there was a time I actually came enthralled with my playing, but Grandmother has pushed me so much. I think this developed stress has taken its toll on me. Whenever I play, my eyes HAVE to be on the piece, and my fingers MUST hit each and every key with precision."

Her body began to shake again as stress began to overtake her. "With all that work forced into me, I'm finally able to play it by the note, but suddenly Grandmother tells me I have a whole NEW set of problems to work. She tells me that it's "precise", but it's still not "perfect". Of course, I start out questioning her reasoning on this critique, but when I open my ears to my own playing, it's all clear. But… it's impossible for me to let go when I play. I'm… too concerned with making it "perfect", as she always insisted…"

"Then how about you talk to me as you play? You always find a way to relax when we're simply conversing with each other." Elli suddenly suggested.

Lumina suddenly raised her head and looked at Elli curiously, startling the poor girl.

"Ah…. I mean… I-if you're willing do that. You don't have to take my suggestion if you know it'll get in the way of your playing." Elli said in a shaky voice.

"No. That's a great idea, actually. I'm surprised I didn't think of it myself with you here all this time." Lumina replied in an amazed voice.

"Eheh… really? Well, then…. Um… you're welcome?" Elli answered back.

Immediately, Lumina got into position and curled her fingers once more. This time, however, her eyes were off of the music piece and instead were on her cousin. "Well then, I'll give it a try!" she grinned.

She then lowered her head with a soft smile as she started to play once again in perfect tempo.

"Okay then. where should we begin?" Lumina asked her cousin.

Elli nodded. "Right. How about that local farmer, Gavin?"

Lumina felt her heart skipped a beat, but she kept on playing. "Uh… yes, what about him?"

"Oh, good. So you're willing to talk about him. I was worried at first he'd still be a touchy subject." Elli said with a nervous laugh. "Actually, I was wondering if he had something to say about your playing. I mean, if he's ever heard you."

Lumina lowered head; however, a soft smile emitted from her face as she thought about the new farmer.

"Gavin…? It's interesting you ask about that." She replied in a pleasant tone.

With Lumina's pressure on each key becoming lighter, her song became increasingly mellifluous.

"It's really strange. He says he really enjoys it… even if I'm just practicing a scale. I'm still having a hard time believing him, but he always comes over… listening to whatever it is I happen to be playing. And he always has that pleasant smile…" Lumina said nostalgically.

"Wow… he sounds like a very sweet person to me now…" Elli said in awe.

"I don't understand why, but he seems to be the only one I've known that really "responds" to my music. I think… his mind is very open to it. It makes me feel like he understands me somehow." Lumina confessed gently.

"What do you mean?"

Lumina quietly giggled to herself. "Well, it's like he feels what I feel whenever I play. The cheer from when I can enjoy myself in my playing, the frustration from whenever I struggle, and the sorrow I feel when my mind seems to reflect over hard times. He admits that he's struck with these emotions whenever I perform. He says… _"it's like traveling on a journey somehow"_. Since hearing that, I feel as if he's always traveling with me and sharing my feelings."

Elli looked relieved to see her cousin finally calming down. With the atmosphere the music was creating, the young nurse could not help but imagine the gentle hand of a young man holding onto one of Lumina's and walking alongside her across and endless field under a clear sky.

"I;m beginning to wonder… do you continue to play because of him?" Elli asked.

Lumina's playing slowed ever so slightly upon hearing this.

"…N-no, actually… even without him, I am still compelled to do this…" she answered.

"Really? Then… I want to know… why is it do you play? Who are you playing for?" Elli asked in a somewhat more demanding tone.

Lumina froze. A shock ran down her spine as she heard those seemingly simple questions.

"Ah… I…"

Lumina could barely speak, let alone play. And Elli noticed this. The sympathetic nurse wasn't up to forcing her cousin to answer, but she still had a request that she strongly felt had to be fulfilled.

"Please… continue playing. You were doing splendidly" Elli encouraged.

Lumina turned to witness Elli's warm smile and nodded before she proceeded playing.

"Actually, I'm not sure how to correctly answer that." Lumina replied loosely. "It's just… I remember when I was small, and when I always used to enjoy myself playing. But there was also a period where I tried to calm myself from when my parents died. It was sometime after that where Grandmother took notice of my talents, and playing suddenly became an integral part of my life."

The lady pianist then began pouring her frustration into her playing as the tempo experienced a subtle speed and volume increase.

At that moment, Elli could feel a cold sensation in herself as she saw Lumina's pain.

"Even so… do you actually enjoy playing? Because now it seems to be mostly about Auntie Romana…"

"I… I'm not sure…" Lumina answered.

The tempo slowed and the melody softened to a precise degree as Lumina found herself in doubt of her true feelings.

"I've already played so much… just for the sake of playing… and then being forced into refining it… that I've lost sight of the truth. But like I said… something keeps compelling me to go on. I don't understand why, but I feel there's some purpose in this… that it's important for to continue playing." She answered.

She then felt an inexplicable sensation in her chest as a cloudy memory came to mind. The tempo barely sped up again, but the melody softened.

"That's funny… I actually recall being asked that question before. But as far as I can tell, it was in a dream…" Lumina added curiously.

"I guess that question's been floating in your mind for some time as well?" Elli asked.

"I really enjoyed your encore performance." Elli cheered with a bright smile.

"I suppose it was… but that moment… with that boy… seemed so real…" Lumina answered back.

That mysterious dream came back to her in full. Indeed, she clearly heard the voice of a boy asking that question, and yet she could never distinguish the boy's face. She looked back at her music as she continued playing her music, but then the boy asked once again in a very demanding tone. She took one more glance at the boy's figure, only to find it mature right before her very eyes. In a brief flash, the grown young man's body became clear… and it bore a striking resemblance to Farmer Gavin.

Lumina's body shook again in reality. "Why did he want to know that answer so much? And… why did he look like Gavin?" she asked herself.

"That sounds very interesting. Maybe you'll know your answer when you meet this boy." Elli proposed. Hopefully.

"…Maybe…" Lumina smiled back.

The music then slowed down gradually to the last note. With the song finally done, Elli gave her applause while Lumina reflected over the thoughts accumulated during her song.

"Did you?" Lumina asked with her eyes gazing at the piano keys.

Elli nodded. "Yeah. I can't exactly explain how, but it was even better, too!" she insisted.

"Is that so?" Lumina said back with a hint of doubt.

"I had a great time talking with you during that performance too. It was interesting… the music… it really brought out the moods you went through as you talked with me."

Lumina blinked. She slowly turned her head to face Elli and looked at her curiously.

"What did you say?"Lumina asked hopefully.

"Uh… I said the song really brought out your feelings." Elli answered.

Suddenly, Lumina cracked a bright smile herself. A whole new window of hope opened up to her as she confirmed her cousin's words. This followed very quickly with a hug.

"Lumina?" Elli cried in utter confusion

"Thank you…" Lumina softly uttered.

"You're… welcome?" Elli managed to say back.

After Lumina released her grip, she placed her hands upon her lap and bowed her head in gratitude.

"I think… this time, I'll be able to give the performance without much trouble now." Lumina said with some confidence.

"Really? This is great! I'm sure you'll be fine, then!" Elli cheered.

Lumina nodded. For a while, the aspiring pianist wasn't sure where she would find her muse, but she was glad she found it in her dearest cousin.

"Yeah. And it's because of your help, Elli. I've finally found what it was I've been missing for a long time. Once again, thank you…"


	5. In Time For Dinner

With the quick passing of the afternoon, many guests arrived at Romana's Villa in order to attend the dinner recital. While Lumina was still upstairs preparing for her personal debut, Elli was by the doorstep, dressed in her impressive sky blue gown, and greeting a few guests on their way in. During this fairly daunting task, one such guest took particular interest in the "refined" young lady.

This flashy woman had long, silvery-blonde hair, and wore an ornate violet dress adorned with amethysts and diamonds abound. On her head rested a matching headband with even more diamonds embedded in it.

"So… you must be the distant relative that Ms. Romana mentioned. "Ellis", was it?" she said with a curious look.

"Just "Elli", no s." the Mineral Town girl corrected with a tinge of caution in her voice.

" "Elli", right. It's hard to get new names right when you have so many to remember in all these parties." She scoffed.

"Oh. I see…" Elli replied in nervous sympathy.

After an awkward silence occurred between the two, the opulent lady gave Elli an intimidating, analytical gaze. Poor Elli tried very hard not to quake with fear.

"Hmmm… very interesting…" the lady muttered aloud.

"Wh-what? What is it?" Elli replied, struggling to retain composure.

"I can't exactly point out how, but you seem to carry this "country girl" essence that really stands out…" she said.

Elli gulped. "Ah… I… uh…."

"I like it." The lady continued. "It's… pleasantly "quaint", actually. It reminds me of that "Cinderella" fairy tale where some girl in rags overcomes her station and makes it big becoming Prince Charming's bride. You're like a living, breathing fantasy."

"Ah… th-thank you." Elli uttered humbly. "You actually look very nice yourself."

The young lady chuckled with amusement. "Very cute. You even have the whole "humility" thing down. This has truly been a pleasure meeting you tonight."

This comment left Elli with a very confused smile.

"Ah, but I suppose I have little time to dawdle. There are a few more guests coming do see our dear Lumina perform, and it would be impolite to keep them. Still, I hope we can meet up sometime later. Ta ta!" she cried as she scuffled about in her dress towards the dining hall.

"Ah, hi! You must be Elli, right?"

Elli turned to see an upstanding young couple right by her.

The man had short, fairly messy brown hair and deep chocolate brown eyes with his warm smile. He was wearing a clean black tuxedo and an underneath red vest for the occasion.

The woman had long, neat, dark brown hair and bright hazelnut eyes. She wore a loose evergreen dress-skirt with a matching pillbox hat. She joined the young man in his greeting by waving quietly with a friendly smile.

Elli was quite surprised to see the young man's earnest greeting.

"I'm… sorry. Should I be familiar with you?" she asked hesitantly.

"I see… so Lumina hasn't said much about me, has she? Well then, let me introduce myself. My name is Gavin Wilhelm."

The nicely-dressed young man proceeded to shake Elli's hand while using his free one to rub his head bashfully.

For a moment, Elli felt short of breath. "Gavin? As in… the local farmer?" she thought to herself.

He then turned her attention to the lady at his side. "And this is my date, Celia."

The lady in the evergreen dress-skirt then stepped forward and bowed politely. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Elli looked silently upon her cousin's object of affection as he stood happily alongside another woman.

"Ummm… Gavin…. Are you… the new farmer around here?" she asked.

"Oh, yes. Yes I am. So Lumina did tell me about you, after all." He said in relief.

"I actually happen to be a local here, as well. I'm just dressing up for the occasion! I fell grateful to be able to in the first place…" Celia confessed with a modest gesture.

"Really? Did you have to pay for it, or was it given to you?" Elli asked.

Gavin raised his hand. "Actually, that was me. You see, I came from the city with an aunt and uncle raising me. I told them about the dinner recital, and they were more than happy to spare some cash for Celia's clothes. My tux was actually meant for an old prom I ditched some years go. Believe it or not… I'm not really comfortable with big social gatherings. I'm just making an exception here Lumina's sake." He explained.

"Lumina happens to me a good friend of mine, too. We're here to look out for her and give her our support." Celia added.

"Wow… that's really nice of you!" Elli chirped.

Gavin sighed. "Yeah, thanks. Actually, I wasn't sure about coming at first when Ms. Romana was a little too insistent for me to attend, and it made really uncomfortable."

Celia laughed. "You really don't do too well with pushy folk, do you? You look even worse whenever you deal with Vesta. It's a good thing she really likes you, isn't it?"

"D-don't remind me…" Gavin stuttered with a nervous groan.

Considering their friendly natures, Elli clearly noticed that the pair were very comfortable with each other.

"I'm really curious now. Since you two decided to come here as a pair, are you two… you know… together?"

The reluctant pair was rendered startled and speechless with red faces.

It took awhile before someone among them uttered a single sound.

"Eh… Ah… Um..."

"I suppose that's a sensible assumption to make, considering we came like this, but… Gavin insisted this wasn't meant to be a date." Celia explained.

With that said, the pair looked each other in the eye for a moment, only to turn away with even redder faces.

This awkward interaction intrigued Elli. The aspiring farmer before her was a great contrast to the one she met in Mineral Town. While Sack was a cheerful and outgoing sort, Gavin was a fairly shy individual. Still, there was an unmistakable charm to the man.

Elli understood very well that this was the same young man that Lumina held close to her heart, but what played out right in front of her eyes was a scene tough to bear. It was clear to her that he loved the woman at his side, and that her feelings were the same.

Unfortunately, Lumina's romance wasn't meant to be.

Still, Elli wasn't the one to curse the happiness of a genuinely nice guy and his equally nice girlfriend.

"Well, whatever the situation is, you two look really great together." Elli beamed.

"T-thanks…" Gavin managed to reply.

Celia bowed her head while clutching in bashfully with one hand. "Thank you… I wasn't really sure I pull this look off well, but I'm glad to hear you think so."

"Oh, don't be silly! You look wonderful, Celia!" Elli assured her.

The friendly three shared a few life stories afterwards, and laughed together on fun moments.

For Elli, it was a pleasure getting to truly know these fine people.

"I really want to let you know that… I feel so happy that Lumina has caring people like you looking after her in this valley. I admit that this Villa feels rather confining sometimes." Elli professed.

"I'm just glad to know Lumina has a nice friend and relative that she can trust. I didn't really know she had any other living relatives besides her Grandma until recently." Gavin replied.

"Yeah. I wish we got to know about each other sooner. But I'm glad we're able to meet like this." Celia added.

Their happy moment lasted a little while longer until a sudden growl suddenly interrupted. The source was soon revealed when the fancily-dressed farmer held his stomach and made an embarrassingly hungry face.

"Ah, shoot. That's right. I worked this morning through the afternoon just to be in time for the dinner recital! Ugh… I'm sorry to say this… but I guess I better head to the dining table now!" Gavin groaned with a slight chuckle.

"Oh, alright. Then we should head there soon. I'm starting to feel hungry myself." Celia said to her "date". She then turned to Elli.

"Will you be joining us, soon? It would be nice if we had the chance to dine with you." Celia asked.

"Ah… I'm… not sure I'll be able do comply. There's still other guests expected to come by, and Auntie Romana expects me to get acquainted to me. I'm sorry, but you'll have to go ahead without me." Elli said regretfully.

Celia nodded. "Understood. Well, I'll see if we can try and save a seat for you. On the other hand, you just might be lucky enough to get a date for yourself." She suggested hopefully.

"I don't know about that, but I'll glad if I could join you guys later." Elli replied.

At that moment, the nurse in sky blue was taken aback when Gavin placed a confiding hand on her shoulder with a friendly smile.

"I wouldn't worry. Maybe he isn't here, but I have a feeling someone special is waiting for you somewhere. Perhaps that guy might be in your hometown…" Gavin said warmly.

"Aha… maybe. That would be nice, though." Elli said as she became flustered.

Gavin's stomach growled once more, reminding him of his current "condition". He gave a long sigh before taking off.

"Well then, I better get dinner now before I die of starvation or something." He groaned in a helpless tone. He then waved happily at the cheery hostess. "Then, 'till later, I suppose."

"It was nice meeting you!" Celia chimed in as she joined Gavin in waving.

Elli nodded and waved back. "You too! It was a pleasure!" she answered back.

Finally, the couple waded into the crowd of classy figures until they left Elli's view.

With that done, she had numerous other guests to greet by the door. A few others ended up taking great interest in this good-natured "Cinderella" in their presence. She repeatedly denied this visualization, yet graciously accepted the compliment.

Finally, there were only a few guests left lagging behind. Elli was just about ready to head in for dinner herself when one more guest arrived to meet her.

"Good afternoon, young lady." A male guest politely said.

"Good afternoon." Elli replied before she turned to meet him.

"My Goodness! Elli… is that you?" he cried.

Elli gasped. With the man's voice worked up, Elli recognized it somehow.

"Is it--- but why? How is it possible?" Elli thought to herself before she could lay eyes on him.

With her curiosity piqued, Elli hastened to see this new guest.

He was a tall figure with short, fairly messy black hair and observant brown eyes. He wore long, slimming white tuxedo coat with a silver vest tucked neatly underneath.

"D…Doctor?" Elli cried in total disbelief.

The tall man before her nodded slowly. "Yes… yes it is. Sometime after you left, I received an invitation for this event by some distinguished friends of mine. They said I deserved the break."

"B-but… what about the Clinic? Your Day Off isn't until Tomorrow!" Elli mentioned in concern.

"About that… somehow, I got lucky that Dr. Hardy from here was willing to cover for me. That man might not be as… "public-friendly" as others of my profession, but we know from experience that he's very capable in the field." He explained.

"Oh… thank goodness." Elli said with relief.

The Doctor's eyes remained greatly focused on the maiden dressed in a sky-blue gown.

"I'm really impressed what you've done. You look absoletly gorgeous." He said in an unusually calm voice.

Elli simply looked back with her innocent smile. "You look very handsome yourself. Almost like a Prince."

"I'm a Doctor foremost.." Doctor Holiday replied in a firm tone. "However, I will not mind accompanying you to dinner if you don't mind." He finished.

"Oh, no. In fact, I would love to join you!" Elli beamed.

Doctor Holiday smiled back. "Very well then…"

And so, with an unexpected escort at her side, the scintillating Lady Elli finally made her way into the dining hall…


	6. And Then The Melody Came To Her

When Elli and Doctor Holiday finally arrived at the dining hall, they were disappointment to discover the many occupied seats around the table. Luckily, another couple managed to keep their word as they waved their hands wildly towards the incoming diners. The two of them then trudged forth to meet the happy pair. They were even more fortunate to have their seats positioned right across from them.

"Nice to see you again!" Gavin cried as he reacquainted himself with Elli.

"You too! And thank you for saving some seats!" Elli replied.

Celia immediately had her attention on the "stranger" at her new friend's side with a pleasant smile. "I see you found someone to join you for dinner."

Elli blinked. It took her a little while to remember the "date" she required. She quickly turned her head to see the well-dressed Doctor for a brief moment, only to turn back with a slight blush.

"Ah! Right… right. Actually, he's a good friend of mine and a colleague in my field of work. He's Doctor Tim Holiday…" Elli introduced.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Holiday, sir." Gavin greeted as the two of them shook hands across the table.

"Thank you. You may also call me "Doctor" if you wish. Many seem to prefer addressing me that way." Doctor Holiday replied.

Both of them finally released their handshakes and returned their hands to their sides.

"So… since you're the Doctor, does this make you Elli's boss?" Gavin asked.

"Actually, I would prefer to think of us as partners. I must say, Elli's been a very reliable partner to me since the beginning." Doctor Holiday replied.

Elli's cheeks flushed upon hearing this.

"Really, Doctor? I never knew you felt that way about me.." Elli said bashfully.

"What? I'm serious. You're a very capable nurse, Elli. Most likely one of the best, too. Why, there have been a number of times that I felt I would've been lost without your help." He assured proudly.

The Doctor's praise started becoming too much for the humble nurse. With the romantic implications she started feeling behind it, Elli felt like her innocent heart was about to explode.

Celia giggled. "I see. It's clear to me that you appreciate your assistant a lot." She interjected pleasantly.

"Very much so." Doctor Holiday confirmed confidently. "With the way things have been with her around, I honestly think it would be hard to imagine how I could run the Clinic without her."

The Doctor ended up saying that with partial redness on his own face.

Elli glanced briefly at this with great disbelief.

"No way… might he actually… like me back?" she thought to herself.

Her heart suddenly raced with this possibility in mind.

"Oh… that would be so wonderful if that were true!" she thought excitedly.

"You know… it's pretty interesting that we're all able to meet together like this. Getting to see Elli's co-worker here was certainly a surprise!" Gavin confessed. "This is one heck of a coincidence, don't you think?"

"Perhaps not. Maybe we were all actually meant to meet here for a special reason." Doctor Holiday proposed.

"And I believe that reason is so we could get to know each other and enjoy it together." Celia added.

Elli nodded. "I agree."

Before long, the sound of a glass being tapped rang far and wide across the dinner table. Standing by the far end was Sebastian in his usual dignified posture holding the cup and spoon. Once every voice in the vicinity quelled completely, the experienced butler laid down his dining ware and cleared his throat.

"Honorable Guests, Welcome One and All to tonight's special dinner!" he announced.

Everyone at the table applauded in response.

"Now that everyone is here, and the food is prepared, may I now present to you the holder of this special occasion, Mistress Romana!"

Once again, the guests applauded. Elli and company attempted to search the area to find the woman of the hour, but apparently, she's been with them the entire time has Sebastian stepped back and bowed, showing a hand towards a spot next to them. With the many guests surrounding them, the four could not witness Romana , who was already seated at the far end. Unfortunately, none of them could not also find Lumina.

After the guests stopped clapping, the Mistress of the Villa began speaking herself.

"Thank you, Sebastian. Now, as I'm sure you all found out in your invitations, my darling Granddaughter Lumina has recently come of age. Of course, she is not yet legally ready to pursue the full experience of adulthood yet, but "Sweet Sixteen" will be start of many great responsibilities for her. I sincerely apologize for not inviting my esteemed guests to the actual birthday celebration itself. You see, it was a "personal family tradition" that we keep that sort of thing within the family."

For a brief moment, everyone muttered amongst themselves in understanding.

"With that said, I hope that tonight's performance will more than make up for missed time. Young Lumina here has shown great promise as a pianist in her early childhood, and I have since then overlooked her development in her talent. The training was quite rough and consistent, but I have seen her progress over the years, and I am confident that she will perform splendidly tonight!"

Again, the attendants applauded. Most of them averted their attention towards an area to Romana's right. Elli tried to do the same, but to no avail. Luckily, her friend Doctor Holiday had just the right height to get a good view.

"Doctor? Are you able to see what's there?" Elli asked in a hushed voice.

"Barely. I can make out the head of a young lady with a yellow hair band, but that's about it." Doctor Holiday replied.

"Oh. That must be Lumina! I wonder what she's wearing?" Elli thought to herself.

The applause ceased once more. Afterwards, a younger voice spoke up.

"I feel privileged to meet all of you again. I hope my playing will be to everyone's satisfaction." Lumina announced humbly.

Romana chuckled. "Don't worry, dear. You've worked very hard up to this point." She assured her granddaughter.

"Anyway, without further ado, dinner shall now be served!" Romana announced.

Sebastian then proceeded to roll out a salad cart and distributed a fine Caesar Salad.

"Of course, most of the dishes tonight have been excellently prepared by my talented butler, Sebastian. He takes great pride in his experience as a cook, and he never fails to please. But for this night, I've decided to help out personally for the dessert course! Please look forward to it!" Romana added.

This announcement garnered a curious response from the guests. Everyone seemed amazed, some even excited, of the news concerning Romana's contribution.

Immediatley, an elderly man in fine grey clothing nudged Elli with an elbow. She faced the young maiden with a wide grin.

"So, Miss… are you familiar with Ms. Romana's reputation in her cooking?" he asked with a wheeze in his voice.

"No, sir… I'm afraid not." Elli replied.

The elderly man clicked his tongue. "It's pretty interesting, actually. They say the lady discovered a lot of fascinating recipes back in the day, when she used to be a renowned traveler. Each day was like an adventure to the old Ms. Romana, and she would actually pick up a few exotic cooking tips in order to cope with her environment and avoid starvation. Now, you might think foraging for a meal always means "roughin' it" in any wild place, being able to gather foods from far-off locations is pretty much like helping yourself to an exotic buffet! Yup, having the opportunity to try Ms. Romana's cooking after she nearly stopped ages ago is a big treat!"

"Oh, really? I never Auntie Romana was cook as well! Now I'm really looking forward to dessert!" Elli cheered.

The elderly man scratched his head. "Eh? Did I hear you right with "Auntie Romana"?" he asked.

Elli nodded. "Yes. I happen to be Lumina's cousin, so she's My Great Aunt." She explained.

The elderly man laughed heartily. "Is that so? Well then, you must be this "Miss Elli" everyone's talking about. They say you're supposed to be like a "regular Cinderella"."

Elli flushed upon hearing that "Cinderella" comment again. "Ah… r-really, I'm---"

"You should be flattered, Miss Elli. You're such an adorable girl, and it seems you already have your Prince with you!" the man cried heartily.

Upon hearing this, Doctor Holiday coughed a little.

"Now listen up, young man! I want you to take care of this lady with your life! You understand?" he ordered.

Doctor Holiday sat upright and had a solemn expression on his face, but his eyes were slightly diverted from facing the elderly man.

"Yes, sir!" he answered seriously.

The elderly man then reached over Elli's head and pat the Doctor's shoulder.

"Ha ha ha! You're a good man, you know that?" he cried with pleasure.

"…Thank you, sir." Doctor Holiday uttered softly.

A few minutes later, everyone finally received their portion of Caesar Salad and dug in. The careful preparation of chicken, dressing, and vegetables blended perfectly into the mouths of those who ate it. Even Gavin gave a nod of approval, as he admitted that he wasn't much of a salad man despite his recent run of crop work. Doctor Holiday swiftly responded with the importance of healthy dieting with salads, which Elli and Celia agreed with wholeheartedly.

With a small portion of salad polished off, everyone was then served with a hearty bowl of steaming New England Clam Chowder. It proved to be a convenient choice, as a portion of the attendants considered it a personal forward and helped themselves gleefully with this familiar dish. Considering Sebastian's skills, they were once again left with satisfaction in their mouths.

After that, Sebastian finally rolled down the big carts holding the main entrees. Smells of various zesty meats filled the air, and a few anticipating guests wafted in the savory scent. Once the encased entrée plates were finally passed out, the nearest dinners opened them up to reveal a various array of splendid dishes. They all ranged from golden brown duck, to freshly baked ham, to well-roasted venison, and even roasted big Yamame. Each entrée had its own personal flavor and appeal. Most of the guests took a great liking to the venison. Meanwhile, Elli and Celia enjoyed the meats equally, while the Doctor preferred the Yamame due to the health benefits of fish. Gavin, however, partaked far more in the duck, but later confessed some guilt over owning a duck of his own back at the farm.

As dinner passed, many a stomach was nearly satisfied, but the dinners were still ready for a good dessert. Good Sebastian accepted the used plates of the many guests before replacing them with plates filled with fine dessert. An exciting mix of the exotic and traditional made up the palette as the contents consisted of slices of Raspberry Cheesecake and Key Lime Pie along with a miniature bowl of Mango Cream Pudding, a piece of a nut and berry cake, and a few cocoanut-glazed doughnut holes.

The guests were simply mesmerized by the tantalizing sweet flavors of each dessert. The lesser-known especially impressed, as they received high praise from across the table. Because of her recent success, a beaming Romana was glad to know that she could still cook when it mattered.

Gavin seemed to favor the Mango Pudding, while enjoyed the nut and berry cake a little more. Elli, having an uncanny sweet tooth, exercised extreme self-control over herself while savoring each delectable dessert. The Doctor merely kept a careful eye on his nurse while slowly tasting his own helpings.

Eventually, dinner came to an end. The guests quickly emptied dining room and headed towards the receiving hall, which just had chairs set up, where the recital was to begin. Fortunately for Elli's company, they were able to seat themselves closer to the front. After a long while, all the attendants finally filled up the seats. A few more moments of anticipation set in as they all chattered amongst themselves about the lady of the hour.

"Lady Lumina… they say she was supposed to be a genuine prodigy since her early years…"

"Perhaps, but you know how people like to brag sometimes. Maybe the old lady's just putting on a show herself."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. I've heard many a wonderful performance from some her age. It doesn't sound unreasonable."

"So then, I suppose the matter of this situation is if she could stand out among others of "exceptional" skill."

"Can the girl really play classical so well? Could she do Mozart? Beethoven? How about Bach?"

"Frankly, I wouldn't care if she was playing Jazz for that matter. At least it's better than that "rap" stuff most modern kids listen to this day. It's absolutely dreadful! Ugh!"

Elli was surprised to hear some of the conversations she was able to pick up. "Wow… I didn't know they'd actually have all these expectations for her. Now I know why Lumina was so nervous before. But… she was so confident the last time I saw her. She should be just fine… I hope…" she thought to herself.

Minutes later, the chatter started dying down.

Romana materialized from the dining hall, only to turn around to face someone behind her.

"Now dear, you've worked on this peace for so long, and you've gotten very well at the piece, but you've always had those written notes right in front of you. At this point, I'm expecting that the song itself should be etched into your mind. To make this a true test, I will be withholding the music sheet for this performance. Do you think you can handle it?" she explained.

"…I see… well than, I guess I'll have to try harder then." A soft voice said.

"Good. At least you have the drive not to back out. I can't wait to see how far you've come in your playing." Romana grinned.

Finally, Romana stepped into the receiving hall herself and stood close to piano.

Following right behind her was Sebastian with his usual grin, with an anxious Lumina at her side.

She happened to be wearing her trademark yellow hair band as usual; however, she was clearly dressed for the occasion. She also wore a luxurious goldenrod gown with loose short sleeves, along with a pair of stunning diamond earrings. Although the rest of the crowd wasn't quite amazed, Elli, Celia, and Gavin were simply stunned at how ladylike Lumina looked for the night.

"I don't understand how she could ever doubt herself. Lumina's definitely a woman in her own right." Gavin uttered in awe.

"She most certainly is." Celia added.

"…all this time she got all worked up over how I looked in this dress, and now I get to see what it was she chose for herself. She shouldn't be so jealous of me… that dress looks perfect on her." Elli said.

Gavin looked at Elli curiously for a brief moment before he lowered his head.

"So… Lumina's even self-conscious in front her cousin, huh? Man… I can't get rid of the feeling that I'm responsible for it, somehow…" he thought to himself.

Upon reaching the piano, Sebastian carefully pulled back the comfortable rest for her the young lady.

"I believe in you, Miss Lumina. You'll do just fine." Sebastian assured her with unwavering confidence.

"Thank you, Sebastian." Lumina replied softly.

Lumina then seated herself by the black piano that she had worked on for the majority of her life. She exhaled one long anxious breath before positioning her curled hands upon the keys. For a moment, she glared intently at the spot devoid of the music sheet that usually aided her before closing her eyes.

"No sheet… I guess I'll also have to concentrate carefully just to remember the music." She thought to herself anxiously.

She then raised her hands and prepared to play her song until something caught the corner of her eyes.

She gasped. Watching her right now were her close friends, waiting to hear her and support her at her finest hour.

"Elli… everyone… thank you. This performance is for all of you dear to me." She thought to herself.

Again, she faced forward and closed her eyes while lowering her head slightly. She raised her hands once more with curled fingers. She took in every emotion she felt would bring out the right tone in her music, and let them flow through those same fingers.

She felt the song play out clearly in her mind, and carefully went over each note.

Then, at last, the music began. It started off as a pleasantly soft melody, with Lumina's heart embracing all the happy memories she had. The fun times she shared with her faithful butler Sebastian, her loving Grandma, and even her "favorite" cousin all came to her as she played. Suddenly, she found herself picturing her fond memories with Gavin. Her heart soared, and the tempo increased ever so slightly.

For awhile, her mind raced with the times that he always came over with his sincere smile and helpful attitude. Eventually, however, her mind wandered from joy to sorrow as she recalled her envy of all the times he with Celia, and an enigmatic red-haired traveler. Her mind seemed to skip back and forth between Celia and the traveler until it began to focus primarily on Gavin and Celia being happy together. The melody then gradually increased in volume as it started to slow down and take on a more melancholy feel. This emphasis increased even further as the pianist started reflecting on the deaths of her parents. Miraculously, she managed to hold on to this melancholy while retaining a rational state in her playing.

Afterwards, her mind skipped into the more recent moments that she spent with Elli. The music steadily grew louder again, but it switched once more into a soft, blissful feel. Her fingers pressed lightly and playfully as she thought of the fun she had in training Elli, then pressed and held notes as she became contemplative along with her.

Suddenly, she found herself lost in her playing as she continued to do so without restraint. It was like she was caught up in a dream, and she welcomed anyone in the audience willing to join her. The music flowed loosely, yet beautifully as it carried out her colorful river of dreams.

As she found herself nearing the apparent climax of her song, Lumina recalled her conscious thought once more. She felt herself suddenly in the middle of one of her usual sessions with her Grandma; however, something felt different. Instead of Romana picking apart her playing like usual, she was joined by her friends, who watched patiently at the side to hear her play. Reality soon dawned on her, as she subtly glanced once more where Elli and company sat. She smiled warmly as she recalled the support of her friends, but when the music started slowing down, another painful thought crossed her mind.

_…How long will these happy times last for me?_

With the last few measures, Lumina played them softly, yet intensely, with a bittersweet feeling in her hard. She held the final note, which echoed through the receiving room for a very long time.

Finally, the note became silent. The audience watched on as Lumina removed her hands from the piano and slowly got off her seating. Once she stood up completely, she turned towards the guests bowed respectfully.

The eerie silence prevailed throughout the room until it was abruptly broken by a single clapping noise. The single clapping was soon followed up by more applause, and quickly escalated into heavy applause.

Lumina stared in shock. It was a standing ovation!

Her heart raced again upon receiving this positive feedback.

"Is this true?" she thought to herself.

Despite her doubt, the applause was still there. Lumina carefully scanned the audience to see every single one of them standing. But it was the warm smiles of her dear friends that stood out most to her.

Lumina nodded to herself in confirmation. A small tear ran down her cheek, which she immediately wiped with a single finger. She even faced her friends with a warm smile of her own.

"My friends… I'm so grateful for every one of you…"


	7. Who They Are

_**Author's Notes:** To be honest, I wasn't really sure at first if I wanted to add the Doctor in this fic, but now I'm glad I did. He contributed to the story much more than I expected. Anyway, be wary of the upcoming angst in this Chapter, but you might be pretty surprised by who it's coming from. Oddly intense stuff, and it'll begin to tie into a few more fics I did before. Let's see if you start seeing the connections…_

After Lumina's spectacle of a performance, each guest approached the young pianist to voice their personal approval. With her previous experiences in dealing with the rich and prominent, she was able to handle every encounter gracefully.

At the same time, Elli was about to give Lumina her personal congratulations before she felt a tug at her arm. She turned around to find Gavin holding onto her.

"Uh… Elli, is it okay if we can have a little talk… by ourselves?" he asked. There was a distinctly grave expression on his face.

"I wonder what he wants." Elli thought to herself.

She gave a simple nod in response. "Sure. Just let me meet Lumina for a minute."

"Alright. I actually wanted to do the same." said Gavin.

Gavin loosened his grasp on the nurse, allowing her to go to her cousin as he met back with Celia.

Celia looked at him in confusion. "Gavin? What were you doing with Elli back there?"

Gavin sighed. "It's… a little complicated. Let's just saying I'll be having a meeting her later on."

"Oh. Okay. I suppose there are still things you wanted to talk with her about, then." Celia said.

Gavin seemed a little hesitant to respond. "….Yeah, that sounds about right…"

After talking with another miscellaneous admirer of her playing, Lumina finally got to see her favorite cousin since before the evening.

"Lumina! You did just great tonight! People were standing up and wanted an encore! Congratulations!" Elli cried.

"Yeah! I was really surprised! I actually played through the entire song just fine, and without a music sheet too!" Lumina answered excitedly.

Elli glanced over at the piano to confirm Lumina's statement.

"What? But---"

"I know. I relied on that thing for the longest time, but tonight, I actually played it all by memory! It was the most amazing feeling to, because I got swept up in the music itself as I played. All these intense feelings… I think I was actually able to express myself from like before!" Lumina confessed.

"Really? Like in the Rehersal?" Elli asked. The nurse felt very thankful that her suggestion ended up helping her in the actual performance. "Heheh… I'm glad I actually helped!"

Lumina nodded. "You really did help, Elli. You were actually an inspiration!"

Elli's cheeks blushed a little as she reacted bashfully. "I-inspiration? Really? Wow… that's… that's pretty intense!"

"Well now, I'm glad to see you two ladies are enjoying yourself." A friendly voice interjected.

Both Elli and Lumina turned to see Farmer Gavin right there with his usual warm smile.

Lumina's heart skipped a beat, yet it soon sank deeply.

"Hello again, Gavin!" Elli greeted cheerful.

"Ah…. H-hi…" Lumina said reluctantly.

"It's refreshing to be able to see you happy like this, Lumina. I can tell you have a very good friend in your cousin." Gavin grinned.

"I see… I'm glad you care…" Lumina answered.

"You look really nice in your dress by the way. I haven't really seen you in formal ware yet, and I must say… it really suits you. It makes you look like a real lady." Gavin said.

"R-really? …. I'm f-flattered…" Lumina barely responded.

The poor young lady tried so hard to accept the farmer's compliments without being completely taken in. It was already too painful to know that she had fallen head-over-heals with a guy that already loved another.

"We're … just friends…" Lumina reminded herself. "He's only looking out for me like a big brother. He doesn't have to know anything…"

Gavin's smile grew faint. He briefly turned around and looked at Elli with dire eyes before turning back to further talk with Lumina.

It was as if Elli had received a telepathic message.

"_Are we still on for that talk?"_ Elli heard in her head. She nodded to herself.

Sometime after the room cleared up, only Elli and Gavin remained lounging by the sofa and chair at the corner.

Elli watched on in concern as Gavin looked glum.

"I suppose I have a lot of explaining to do as to why I brought you here like this, huh?" Gavin said while rubbing his neck.

"Yeah… I really don't know what's going on." Elli replied flatly.

The farmer then clasped his hands in front of him and slouched his posture.

"Well… first off, let me just say… unfortunately, I'm not so dumb." Gavin answered with a heavy breath.

Elli blinked. "Sorry… I don't really understand---"

"My mother always said I was a bit too sharp for my own good. Apparently, I found out that she's right." Gavin continued. "You see… I caught on really quickly that your cousin has a crush on me."

Elli blinked again. "Ah?"

Gavin rubbed his head again. "Wait… was my "detective work" off? I mean, I really didn't want to come off to someone I just met as some sort of cocky know-it-all ladies' man, and I---"

"No! No! I'm just so surprised… I mean, how did you arrive at that?" Elli asked.

The farmer went into a contemplative position. "I… ah, it's kinda odd, actually. I'm starting to believe I have this uncanny ability to sense others' feelings, and… Lumina apparently became a big blip on the radar. Not too mention all the tell-tale signs of a girl in love. Mother REALLY wanted to make sure I knew about that…" he said in embarrassment.

"So you're absolutely convinced of then?" Elli asked curiously.

"Yup. No doubt about it. And I'm pretty sure Lumina would tell you about it too… assuming that's how far her trust of you is." Gavin assumed.

Elli simply gazed at the cognitive farmer silently for a few moments.

"I… I'm not sure of the point you're trying to make." Elli said, still trying to retain whatever secrecy left that Gavin might still not be aware.

The farmer then let out a long, deep sigh while covering his eyes with a hand.

"The poor girl's already been through enough after loosing her parents, and having to work tirelessly on the piano for her Grandma for days on end. I don't want to add to her anxiety." He answered with a quiver in his voice.

"…Gavin?" Elli uttered. She had a bad feeling about what was playing out in front of her.

"My Dad… h-he's dead, and I'm not sure how long my mother has left to live, so I kind of understand what Lumina's going through now concerning her parents. But I was never quite close to Dad. I tried to make it as an artist in the city before coming here, and I told him in a letter once. But since then, he kept accusing me of being lazy and insisting I work here. I… always hated him for insulting me like, but then he died all of a sudden, so… I decided to honor his suggestion this once."

Elli inched closer to the pained young man. "That's right… Lumina did say something about the new farmer having to replace his father. But… this is definatley new. The son… having those kind of issues with the Dad he never knew?"

"I was… surprised. It actually didn't take me very long to make some friends here despite my shyness… and I even met someone to love. But then… I met Lumina, who somehow always reminded me a little of myself. She's an artist with a beautiful dream, and she's still able to pursue it despite everything…"

Elli tilted her head slightly. "He's a little envious of her?"

"Still, she was a great girl at heart, and I wanted to be friends. It was really fun at first. She had all sorts of stories to tell, and I had my own. I really enjoyed hearing her play her piano and improve, so I always made sure to go there every day… even if it was just to listen. Eventually, I grew fond of her as a little sister, but I could tell her feelings became stronger that… it's leaving us at a real awkward position, especially since I've been with Celia a lot lately. I mean, I really love Celia a lot, but I haven't really said anything yet… and I'm still afraid to hurt Lumina's feelings. She still means a lot to me."

Gavin sank his head deeper and let out an anxious breath.

Elli was left completely speechless.

The farmer then raised his head with an awfully nervous facial expression.

"Dealing with unrequited love like this really sucks…" he said with a cracking voice.

Elli inched even closer. "…At least you're aware of it, and you're trying to do something. The two of you are still close friends, so… maybe you could work something out." She suggested.

Gavin closed his eyes. "I'm not so sure. I think being just friends is just adding more tension to this, don't you think? It's a strong enough connection as it is, and I'm noticing Lumina's starting to get really nervous."

"…Still, it's worth a shot. Love or not, Lumina looks up to you. You shouldn't throw away a friendship you both enjoy so much." Elli added.

Gavin sighed again. "…I know another friend who's dealing with an unrequited love right now. Considering what I heard, I doubt it ever will be, and I'm still concerned how that friend is doing… she already left some time ago, so I wouldn't know…"

"You mean Nami?" Elli asked.

She already knew about the red-headed traveler from a past note from Lumina. That coy girl happened to be one of the other women Gavin would often talk with, so Lumina used to get jealous of her as well; however, she later learned to her relief that there was no romance between them when Gavin and Nami confronted her directly about it. Sometime later, she decided to leave Forget-Me-Not Valley for her own reasons.

"Yes, that's her name. I suppose Lumina even told you about her…" Gavin confirmed. "Anyway, I swore to her I wouldn't tell anyone in great detail, but I'll just say that she once had a really close friend whom she grew to fall in love with. Unfortunately, her other friend ended up settling in another town, and I'm starting to suspect he found somebody else. I know Nami isn't the type to say anything, but I could see that she was tearing up inside. All that time, and she never even said a thing to him."

Gavin started pounding his knee in frustration.

"…I even begged her to at least say her feelings, but she wouldn't… but I suppose it would be extremely awkward in the situation she is, wouldn't it?"

The farmer's eyes starting tearing heavily. He slowly faced Elli with a pained face. "…I… I don't want another person to go through that! Nami didn't deserve to suffer, and neither does Lumina! But I'm the one who holds her heart in my hand and I don't even know what to do now! That girl has a good life ahead of her… I-I can't just destroy her like that! I can't even tell Celia about this because I'm afraid she'll misunderstand and---"

Elli interrupted the sobbing young man and carefully took him in her arms.

"…You have a really kind heart… be grateful for it…" Elli softly answered understandingly. There were a few tears in her eyes as well as she said this.

Gavin wiped his tears. It was a peculiar time to hear a compliment like that, but it somehow made sense of to him. He even recalled the words an old friend said to him, and chuckled aloud.

"That's funny… Nami said the same thing… that I was "too kind-hearted"…" he said as heartily as he could in his current state.

"Don't worry. I get that a lot from Karen…" Elli replied with a warm smile.

For a while, Gavin couldn't speak and simply held off his incoming tears. It left the whole room in a gentle silence as Elli comforted the man.

"…Actually, you should consider yourself lucky." Elli suddenly chimed in. "At least you understand Lumina and her feelings. I think you'll stand a better chance at finding a way to make things better for her… I believe you will since that's what you want to."

Gavin quivered. "Yes, but… it still makes it harder on me, personally. I feel like I'm holding onto a glass heart…"

"Then I'm sure you'll take good care of it until she meets that special person that can make her truly happy." Elli beamed.

Gavin pulled away, forced his back against the sofa, and took a deep breath while looking up. "…We all have to look after her…"

Elli nodded. "Don't worry. I know we're all trying her best for her."

Gavin breathed a sigh of relief. "Then I'll keep being friends for her sake… for my "sister"…"

Elli flashed another smile as she got up.

"He's a really good man" she thought to herself again. "I really wasn't expecting to learn about his feelings, but I'm glad. Now I know he cares deeply… even if it isn't out of passion."

She was about ready to retire, but she wasn't completely sure if the conversation was about done.

"Elli, I'm really thankful for what you've done for me tonight. I wasn't sure if a stranger would actually trust me enough to meet me like this, but I'm glad you did. It was really hard for me to get all of this out on the open." Gavin admitted.

"Oh, it's no problem for me. I'm really surprised myself." Elli answered back. "Actually, I don't know that many people like you. You sincerely want everything to work out fine for everyone close to you…"

"…Thanks… you should probably know… that relationships can be really tough on most guys as well. I don't know what's exactly going on between you and Doctor Holiday, but… if there really are strong feelings between you two, I'm sure he's struggling with them just as much." Gavin advised.

Elli gasped. "Wait a minute. So you know we aren't really couple, too? But, how did you know---"

"I already told you. I seem to have this odd ability to sense the emotions of those close to me. I didn't get a good feel for the Doctor, but he actually might feel the same about you if he hasn't said anything yet. Chances are… he could be shy… like I am." He explained.

Elli's mouth was left gaping open in an adorable fashion has her face turned deep read.

"Ah... ah… y-you mean… he actually might… "like" me back?" she uttered bashfully.

Gavin responded with his old friendly smile.

"Why not? You happen to look like a truly fine lady right now, especially with that expression of yours?" he answered smartly.

Now Elli's face was redder than any tomato, or even any cherry for that matter.

"A-a-a-a-a lady?" she stuttered.

Gavin nodded while giving her a soft pat on the head. He was actually blushing a little himself.

"Yes. You happen to be a really loveable person, Elli. Lumina told me that as well, and considering how the Doctor decided to join you along for dinner, he must agree with this statement even more so, right?"

Now Elli was shaking as she started feeling faint.

"That's right… I practically had a date with him tonight!" Elli thought as her mind raced.

Gavin decided to make his own attempt to calm her down. "…This "romantic love" stuff is still awkward, but at least I'm starting to get used to it. I'm still working my way to confessing my feelings to Celia wholeheartedly and everything, but at least I know that time is coming. And, well... it doesn't hurt to know that she's waiting." He said with an odd smirk.

"I see…" Elli uttered to herself. "Well, I'm certain that you and Celia will be able to find happiness. And I know you'll be able to take care of Lumina too."

"Thanks." Gavin replied. "Be thankful that you still have time. You might still have your own doubts as well, but… please try it. Considering everything, there's a strong chance he likes you back. At the very least, the guy honestly cares for you."

Elli nodded. "I-I'll keep that in mind!" he cried back.

"But this is still so… uncomfortable for me." She thought to herself.

Elli then took a few steps towards the stairs, but not before bowing her head towards the empathic farmer.

"I'm really grateful for having this conversation. I feel I've learned a lot." Elli said.

Gavin bowed his head as well. "I believe I have, too." He answered back.

Afterwards, Gavin headed towards the door while Elli slowly continued her way to the steps.

"Goodbye Elli, and thank you for your time." Gavin called out politely.

"Goodbye, Gavin. And Good luck!" Elli called back.

With their farewells said, Gavin opened the door and noticed a star-filled sky. Finally, the young farmer head out towards his home in the valley.

As Gavin left, Elli was about to head upstairs for the night when once again he came across the Doctor who was still clothed in fancy white. The poor nurse tried desperately to conceal her blushing.

"Ah… D-doctor! You're still here?" Elli cried in shocked embarrassment

"Well, yes You see, Sebastian had me check on your Auntie Romana for a minute, since she was constantly rejecting most of her previous checkups. Luckily, she was just fine, it was a bit of a struggle when she mercilessly flails around like that. It's like that woman believes that she'll be immortal as long as a person working in medicine doesn't tell her something is wrong." He groaned.

Elli giggled. "Oh, right. Grandma and Lumina always warned me how stubborn she always is with a checkup. Maybe I could try and help next time you have to do this."

"That would be a relief." Doctor Holiday said. "You always manage to contribute immensely in any endeavor we undergo together. You've always been a great nurse for me because of that."

Elli's cheeks blushed again, even though she's used to hearing it a lot. "…Y-you always say that to me, but I'm glad I'm always of use to you." She uttered softly.

"Simply because it's always been like that. You always try so hard, so you could never let me down." He answered casually.

Elli became reader. "Ah.. I… ummm…" Unfortunately for her, she quickly grew tongue-tied. She tried desperately to think of a few comprehendible words to say to escape awkwardness.

"I really enjoyed attending the dinner with you!" she blurted out hastily.

The doctor chuckled back. "As did I. I was even given another treat by seeing you get dress up. We never had this privilege before, but I'm glad that Lumina was willing be generous enough to allow this. You're a truly exquisite lady like this."

Once more, Elli was too overwhelmed by emotion for words.

"…Doctor…" she uttered ever so gently.

At that moment, her heart started pounding. Having the kind, handsome Doctor in a suit complementing her as she wore the most beautiful sky blue gown was like a fantasy come alive. She felt her emotions rise to a peak like never before, yet the most precious words she was dying to say still struggled to come out. However, a pressing concern struck her thought and instantaneously broke the influential spell over her.

"…Doctor!" Elli cried. "Do you have a place to stay? I mean… it's a long travel back to Mineral Town, and it could take you all night! I know! How about Romana to offer you spare room! I'm sure she can manage it with all the space in this place!"

"No need to worry. I planned a reservation at the Inner Inn before coming back. They have a nice bed and breakfast there, so I'll be just fine. Besides, it wouldn't be right to take further advantage of the hostess' kindness, would it?" Doctor Holiday informed his nurse.

"I suppose so…" Elli replied with a hint of disappointment.

Still, she was relieved to know that he'll be able to rest easy.

"Well then, I guess it's time to rest for now. It's starting to get late, and we should get sufficient rest if we are to head back in good health." said Doctor Holiday.

"Alright. Goodnight Doctor." Elli said.

"Goodnight Elli. Let's make sure to meet up in the morning." Doctor Holiday answered.

"Sure!" Elli cried back.

Soon after, Doctor Holiday made his own departure, with his flowing white tuxedo coat trailing right behind him.

After the door closed all the way, Elli let out a deep, dreamy sigh with her face completely red.

"This night… was perfect…" she thought to herself.

A few moments after standing there in a dreamlike state, the elegant-looking nurse finally made her way up the stairs. As she came closer to the second floor, the words of a certain farmer started floating in her head.

"Considering everything, there's a strong chance he likes you back."

Elli nodded to herself. "Thank goodness there are kind people like that around. Lumina should be just fine."


	8. Back To Mineral Town

The Next Morning came. It was a very bright and sunny day, but it was also a day of departures. After finishing up a plate of waffles, fruit and sausage, Elli headed towards the receiving room in her normal blue dress, where she left a few of her packaged things.

Standing by was a proud Romana along with a teary Lumina, who was sad to see her cousin leave.

"Oho! I knew you had the Lacreme blood somewhere down your veins, Elli dear! All the guests were very pleased to meet you! Certainly a sign of high approval! And I understand now that you have a new nickname, "Cinderella?" she said with a wink.

Elli turned bright red. That nickname just might haunt her for the rest of her life.

"I suppose this means I should start inviting you to my social gatherings more often, considering last night's success! It's a shame Ellen has that condition of hers. I really would love to see her again…"

"Then how about visiting her sometime? We wouldn't mind the company, and I'm sure Grandma feels the same way!" Elli proposed.

Romana chuckled. "You certainly have your Grandma's cheer, my girl. But I'll consider your idea if it'll give me the chance to make up for lost time. I'll bring along Lumina, of course, but I guess I'll have to leave Sebastian to tend the Villa. Then again, who will carry our things?"

"I'm sure you'll work something out." Elli assured. She then glanced at the butler nearby and gave a sympathetic look.

"Poor Sebastian… I can see he always works so hard." Elli thought to herself.

Lumina nodded. "That sounds a nice idea. I've been in this valley for as long as I can remember, and it would be nice to go out and see someone else's home for a change!"

"Well, trust me! You'll love Mineral Town! There are so many nice people there as well, and I'm sure you'll enjoy meeting Sack!" Elli assured.

"I can't wait!" Lumina exclaimed.

Elli then reached for a rucksack and a traveling bag to prepare for the journey back home.

"Miss Elli, are you sure you'll be okay with your things?" Sebastian asked.

Elli nodded. "I'll be just Sebastian. You've done a great job for looking out for me, but I think I'll be fine on my own from now on. Besides, you still have Auntie Romana and Lumina to take care of, right?"

Sebastian nodded and bowed. "Of course, Miss Elli. I'll be sure to take care of them in your stead as well."

Elli smiled. "Thank you, Sebastian."

After getting all her things in order, Elli headed outside, but before she left she turned around and curtseyed politely.

"I'm really thankful for being able to stay with all of you. I had a lot of fun yesterday, and I hope we can have some more the next time we meet!" she said cheerfully.

Just as everyone was about to say their goodbyes, Lumina reached out a hand.

"Hold on…" Lumina cried. " Actually, before you go, I have a goodbye present to give you."

She then rushed towards the coffee table at the corner to get a gift box wrapped in pink with red ribbon, rushed back, and handed it to Elli.

"Lumina. I don't know what to say… I mean, you already gave me so much yesterday. I don't know what else you have to offer." Elli uttered in disbelief.

"Of course I do. In fact, I actually thought it was exactly the kind of thing you shouldn't leave Forget-Me-Not Valley without!" Lumina beamed. "Go ahead an open it!"

"…Ok… if you insist." Elli replied reluctantly.

Carefully, the kindly nurse unwrapped the box, leaving the wrapping paper completely intact. She then opened up the box to reveal the sky blue gown she wore for the recital, neatly folded up.

"Lumina! I told you I couldn't take this! It was one of your mother's works, and I---"

"Please, keep it." Lumina insisted. "I still have lots more, anyway, and I thought it would be a good idea to share. Besides, you'll never know when you need formal wear again."

Elli looked dumbfounded. "…really? Are you sure?"

"If she was my Mother, then that makes her your Aunt, right?" Lumina answered.

"But… we're distant cousins." Elli reminded her.

"That doesn't stop you from being my favorite." Lumina retorted.

Elli couldn't find any more words to counter with. She simply had to deal with the onslaught that was Lumina's goodbye hug.

The young lady of the villa became teary-eyed as she embraced her cousin one last time.

"I had a lot of fun myself. Actually, I owe you a lot for yesterday. I don't even know how I can make it up to you." Lumina cried.

"Just keep finding happiness, okay Lumina?" Elli asked.

"Okay." Lumina replied.

Afterwards, the two finally let go.

Elli still felt odd to see Lumina all emotional like that, it was comforting to know how much she truly cared for her.

"By the way… I heard Gavin wanted to talk to you about something earlier. What did he say? Was it anything about me?" Lumina asked.

Her hands were behind her back and her feet started shuffling.

Elli thought back at the conversation he had with Forget-Me-Not Valley's farmer and recalled all the concerns and compassion he had for Lumina. All of it put an unusually bright smile on her face.

Lumina was taken by surprise as she was met with a joyous hug of her own.

"You… have a really good friend in him…" Elli said with warm tears of her own.

Lumina looked onward in a daze.

"Huh?"

"I saw that he was with Celia last night, but you can be assured he's doing his best to look out for you." She said merrily.

Lumina blushed. Seeing Gavin with Celia last night was painful to her, but there was something refreshing about Elli's words to her. It was somehow comforting to know that the farmer he had feelings for still cared for him, and she looked forward to confirming that bit of news.

"Okay if that is what you say, then I suppose I could talk to him about it. But I'm not sure if it would still be right to say anything about my feelings, I mean… he already loves somebody else." Lumina said nervously.

"Just say whatever you feel comfortable talking. I have a strong feeling he doesn't want to stress out about it." Elli assured her.

"Alright. Thanks, Elli." Lumina replied.

Elli nodded back at Lumina, then gave a simple nod to Sebastian. The willing butler reached for the door handle and pulled it all the way open, allowing more sunshine into the Villa. Elli then took a few steps out the front door before turning around to see everyone inside again.

"Goodbye Everybody! It was nice seeing all of you!" Elli cried while waving her free hand.

"Later Dear, and make sure to carry along the good old fashion Lacreme dignity with you!" Romana announced with pride.

"It was a pleasure serving you, Miss Elli. I look forward to your next visit. I'll be sure to prepare a "multi-purpose fork" for the occasion." Sebastian grinned.

"Goodbye Elli! Please come back whenever you can! I'll be waiting!" Lumina cried.

Elli wiped another tear from her eye before waving once more. She gave her cousin one final nod before leaving for Mineral Town.

With the Villa finally behind her, Elli looked for the Doctor around the Inner Inn. To her surprise, Doctor Holiday, back in his usual white coat, instead checked out from one of the buildings to her left and came up to greet her.

"Good Morning, Elli. I'm sorry for the bit of confusion, but I had to meet with Dr. Hardy for a minute when he came back. He still had a few records of the Clinic yesterday, and I had to make sure how it went. Luckily, everything was fine. Jeff's condition didn't cause him too much trouble, and there weren't any concerns dealing with Ms. Lillia." Doctor Holiday debriefed.

"That's good to know. Dr. Hardy's certainly reliable, isn't he?" Elli grinned.

"Well, he was my teacher after all. I may have gotten into the field because of my parents, but it was that man who taught me a lot." Doctor Holiday explained. "He's a fine man, even if he keeps to himself a lot."

"Yeah, he isn't very talkative, but I don't really mind." Elli replied. "By the way, do you happen to know why he has that cybernetic eye?"

Doctor Holiday paused for a second. "… I'm afraid that's a secret."

"Okay… I was just a little curious. I thought he might've had some sort of past trouble…" Elli voiced aloud.

Doctor Holiday turned his head to the side. "You don't know the half of it…" he thought to himself.

On their way out of the Valley, the pair happened to pass by Gavin's farm. Elli and Doctor Holiday caught a good glimpse of Gavin and Celia, standing by side and holding hands. With their free hands, they waved goodbye at the outgoing doctor and nurse with warm smiles. Elli took a careful look and noticed Gavin's face redden slightly. She then waved back with a bright smile of her own as Doctor Holiday replied with a nod.

"There are certainly plenty of fine folk in Forget-Me-Not Valley, huh?" Doctor Holiday said in gratitude.

"There certainly are." Elli agreed wholeheartedly.

The pair walked across a small wooden bridge over the Valley's river. Elli felt overjoyed to have this personal journey home with the Doctor, while he himself simply walked on with a casual demeanor.

"So, Elli…" The Doctor suddenly spoke, "What were you doing over at the Villa, anyway? You know, before you dressed up."

Elli looked up to meet his eyes. "Oh, that? Well, Auntie Romana wanted me to be presentable for the evening, so she had her butler Sebastian train me to be a refined lady. Lumina decided to help out later though, so I was fine."

Doctor Holiday held his chin for a moment. "Hmm.. well, that's odd." He voiced aloud.

"What's odd?" Elli asked.

"I personally happen to think you are a refined young lady the way you always are." He grinned.

For what may have been the millionth time, Elli's face lit up bright red.

"I-i-is that so?" Elli managed to ask.

"Of course." Doctor Holiday assured. "How else would you be an ideal assistant for me?"

Elli's heart skipped a beat. They were always good friends, and he always trusted her as his reliable nurse, but she never knew if they had a chance to be more then that. She wasn't sure how long she'll be able to deal with this tension.

"…Doctor?" Elli uttered softly.

"Yes, Elli?"

Doctor Holiday turned to face Elli. He had a curious expression while Elli's was noticeably anxious. The young nurse's heart seemed to be on the verge of leaping out of its chest. She then looked at him with big bright eyes and an energetic smile.

"I'll tell some other time."

"…Oh…"

Doctor Holiday looked away with a look of disappointment. For some reason, Elli noticed some redness in his face. She then turned her head swiftly away, but her smile remained.

And so, Elli left Forget-Me-Not-Valley with fond memories, a few precious life lessons, some hope in her love life, and the Doctor whom she adored.

"…I guess… my chances are good, after all…"


End file.
